Barnstable Market request on ice for the moment

The Barnstable Licensing Authority again continued a license request for Barnstable Market to swap its beer and wine license for a full retail package store one.

Patriot Staff

The Barnstable Licensing Authority again continued a license request for Barnstable Market to swap its beer and wine license for a full retail package store one.

The authority and staff have been unable to get a decision from the state Alcohol & Beverage Control Commission on how many full package store licenses the town has.

A town Home Rule petition in 1979 converted a number of seasonal licenses to year-round, as did a similar state action a few years later. Now with Barnstable’s recorded population decline as of the 2010 census, the town’s allowed quota may have changed. At one time, the licensing authority believed there were two free licenses, which later changed to perhaps one or none.

Until that is resolved, the authority can’t move on the request.

Additionally, the board must weigh whether to open any free license to a wider selection process.

Barnstable Market Attorney David Lawler sought to have the authority initiate an informal process to see if there were other interested parties, but was unsuccessful. No date was set to resume the hearing.